In many fields, electronic assemblies are utilized for various different purposes and applications; especially, in connection with a high power demand of the electronic assemblies (that is to say with a power demand in the kilowatt range), electronic assemblies embodied as power modules are useful for controlled activation purposes, for example for the rotational speed and power regulation of electric motors. These power modules, which are often driven with high supply voltages above the low voltage range (that is to say with supply voltages>60V) require components for processing and storing the high energy quantities arising in the operation of the power module, as well as for signal transmission of control signals and/or measured signals; therefore especially both active components such as power components operating in the switching operation with high current variation speeds (power switches for switching large loads) as well as passive components such as resistances or resistors (for example shunts for current measurement) and at least one capacitor for energy storage and for smoothing of the supply voltage are provided. For realizing a low-inductance construction (avoidance of overvoltages), the power components are typically applied on at least one insulating carrier body (at least one insulating substrate), which generally consists of a ceramic material. For mechanical stabilization and for heat removal of the dissipation or loss power of the components of the power module (especially of the power components), the at least one carrier body is applied or mounted on a metallic cooling body (for example a copper plate or aluminum plate) that is, for example, connected to a cooling system with a cooling circuit, and thermally connected thereto. The power module is typically connected with further components or assemblies for the voltage supply and/or for the signal transmission via at least one connector plug.
For various operating conditions of the power module, for example when removing connector plugs in the case of maintenance, it is necessary for safety reasons to reduce the voltage present in the power module as quickly as possible to a safe or not-dangerous (especially to a non-life-threatening) potential; as a result, the high energy quantity stored in the power module should be removed (nullified) within a short time, that is to say, the at least one capacitor utilized for the energy storage should be able to be quickly discharged if necessary.